It refers to the player capable of breaking a long scoring play any time he has the ball in his hands. It’s usually someone with excellent speed to run away from defenders, high-level athleticism and the kind of football IQ needed to root out the seams in opposing defenses.

Football teams are fortunate to have one or two of those type of players. The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has a stable full.

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The Titans have made good use of the big play over the course of going 11-1 this season heading into today’s NCAA Division III quarterfinal against UW-Whitewater. UWO has 14 offensive scoring plays of 50 yards or more and 19 touchdowns on plays of 30 yards or more, with seven different players having at least one.

“I feel like that’s part of our playbook but I really think it comes down to the coaching and the way they scheme and what they see that we can take advantage of. You might nickel and dime them down the field and then you can pop one for a big play,” quarterback Brett Kasper said. “It’s also the depth in our offense which makes it very hard to scheme for us defensively.”

Offensive coordinator Luke Venne credits the Titans’ team speed as a key factor in the offense’s big-play attack and the way the Titans use that speed.

“There is so much speed with the skill positions especially. It allows us to mix the ball around a little bit,” Venne said. “It gives us the ability to threaten the field horizontally, which can open up vertically with other guys. It keeps everyone off balance.”

Wide receiver Zach Kasuboski leads the team with seven scoring plays of 30 yards or more, while Sam Mentkowski is second on the team with four, including the team’s longest touchdown play of the season an 85-yard scoring pass against UW-Stout.

“That’s what really gets us rolling, is when we hit the big play,” Kasuboski said. “It doesn’t matter who gets it because everybody has that capability.”

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Craig Schommer (3) celebrates his third quarter touchdown with quarterback Brett Kasper (12) playing in the second round of the NCAA playoff game against Ohio Northern on Nov. 28 on J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium.(Photo11: Jeannette Merten/For Oshkosh Northwestern Media)

Having the multiple big-play threats is what makes the Titans such a dangerous team.

Try to take away Kasuboski in the passing game, and Kasper will hit Mentkowski. Take away Mentkowski and its Craig Schommer or C.J. Blackburn or tight end Joey Sommers.

Sell out to take away the passing game as a whole and the Titans can counter with a running game of Dylan Hecker, Devin Linzenmeyer and Beau Ash.

Think everything is covered and Mentkowski or Ash or Hecker might throw for a touchdown.

“A lot of them can catch, a lot of them can run and a lot of them can throw,” Venne said. “It’s just the versatility of these guys.”

The biggest plays for the Titans are made with Kasper and the passing game and the foundation of the big plays are actually made during the week in film study.

That’s where coaches and players can pick apart opposing defenses and identify ways the Titans can attack offensively. Venne, who is in the press box during games, also communicates with the players between series as to what the defense is doing and what the players are seeing as well.

“You wish you could call one of those every time, but the key is having a good plan during the week and then listening to the players on the sideline,” Venne said. “The players give you so much good information. When they say they can set a guy up with certain things, you just trust them and call the plays.”

When a play is called, sometimes a big play is apparent even before the ball is snapped.

“There’s no doubt, we can tell what’s going to happen right away,” Kasuboski said. “When they are lined up and we get that play call, we know that it’s going to hit.”

Kasper agreed that in his pre-snap reads he can see if a play is going to gobble up a large chunk of yardage.

“There are definitely times, once you see that pre-snap look you can kind of picture it and see what’s going to happen,” Kasper said. “I’m just trying to get them their opportunity to go out and make a play.”

And after he’s released a high arcing pass down the center of the field, hoping to intersect with a sprinting teammate.

“It’s kind of a breathless moment,” Kasper said. “But once that receiver comes down with it it’s a great feeling especially hearing the crowd roar. It’s a good feeling.”

A big play usually leads to a big celebration, once Kasper and his teammates catch up with whoever the pass connected with.

But for Venne, the celebration is definitely a bit muted.

“I wish I would get to enjoy it, but really it is all about the next play. Sometimes, I don’t even know what happened,” Venne said. “You don’t really get to enjoy it until Sunday when we can watch it on film.”